Featured Research

from universities, journals, and other organizations

Host Gene That Makes People Vulnerable To Leprosy Discovered

Date:

February 10, 2003

Source:

McGill University

Summary:

An international research team, led by Dr. Erwin Schurr and Dr. Thomas Hudson, Scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, have identified a gene on human chromosome 6 that makes people vulnerable to leprosy.

Share This

Montreal (February 10, 2003) – An international research team, led by Dr. Erwin Schurr and Dr. Thomas Hudson, Scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, have identified a gene on human chromosome 6 that makes people vulnerable to leprosy. The study will be published in the March 2003 issue of Nature Genetics.

Related Articles

"This discovery will now allow us to study how the gene works and how it influences the infectious process. This is an important step toward the development of innovative prevention and treatment strategies for leprosy", stated Dr. Schurr.

"Leprosy has plagued humans for many centuries and it continues to be a concern in many countries," stated Dr. Marcel Behr, Infectious Disease Specialist at the MUHC and Assistant Professor of Medicine at McGill University. "These studies lead the way to developing better treatment and a possible vaccine."

Leprosy, a chronic disease caused by infection with the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae, affects approximately one million people worldwide. While it is a rare disease in Canada and the United States, the World Health Organization has identified 91 countries in which leprosy infection is highly prevalent. Symptoms of leprosy include pigmented skin lesions, permanent nerve damage leading to numbness of the feet and hands and, if left untreated, the disease may result in gross disfiguration including loss of finger, toes, feet and hands. The leprosy bacteria are transmitted through direct personal contact or contaminated respiratory droplets.

Schurr and his colleagues used a technique called "genome scanning" to map the gene. The research team analyzed DNA samples from nearly 100 families who were susceptible to the disease, and found that the families shared a common gene variant on chromosome 6. They then analyzed the DNA of an additional 200 families with leprosy to confirm their findings. "In the last few years advances in technology have made complex genetic analyses, such as those used in this study, possible, "stated Dr. Thomas Hudson. "Without these advances and the cooperation of the families, this research would not have been possible."

This is the second study, published in 2003 by McGill/CGDN scientists, that illustrates the importance of host genes in infectious disease. Dr. Philippe Gros discovered a gene (Naip-5) could make mice resistant to Legionnaire's Disease. "We are now looking forward to applying the same gene identification strategies for other common infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria", stated Dr. Alexandre Alcaïs, a scientist at the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médical (INSERM) Unité 550 at Necker Medical School, Paris, and co-author of the study.

Dr. Erwin Schurr is a Scientist at the McGill Centre for the Study of Host Resistance, a Researcher at the McGill University Health Centre, and an Investigator of the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network. Dr. Thomas Hudson is Director of the Genome Quebec Innovation Centre, a Scientist at the McGill University Health Centre, and an Investigator of the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network. The research was supported with grants from the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and Genome Quebec.

###

The Canadian Genetic Diseases Network is a not-for-profit corporation, committed to advancing Canada's scientific and commercial competitiveness in genetic research, and the application of genetic discoveries to prevent, diagnose, and treat human disease. To achieve its objectives, CGDN participates in three essential activities: facilitates and funds collaborative research in human genetics across Canada; educates emerging scientists to excel in human genetic disease research; and facilitates partnerships between industry and academia to translate research discoveries into innovative therapies or diagnostic tests. CGDN is part of the Canadian Network Centres of Excellence program.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by McGill University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

More From ScienceDaily

More Health & Medicine News

Featured Research

Mar. 3, 2015 — Adults over the age of 30 only catch flu about twice a decade, a new study suggests. So, while it may feel like more, flu-like illness can be caused by many pathogens, making it difficult to assess ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — No significant change in home habits of smokers have been observed in the aftermath of a ban on smoking in public spaces, researchers report. Greater inspiration to kick the habit likely comes from ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Heart function has been associated with the development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease through a new study. Participants with decreased heart function, measured by cardiac index, were two to ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Children of recently separated or divorced families are likelier to drink sugar-sweetened beverages than children in families where the parents are married, putting them at higher risk for obesity ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Gastric bypass and similar stomach-shrinking surgeries are a popular option for obese patients looking to lose weight or treat type 2 diabetes. While the surgeries have been linked to a decreased ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Most people consume more salt than they need and therefore have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, which are the two leading causes of death worldwide. But a new study reveals that dietary ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Twice as many children born to mothers who took antibiotics during pregnancy were diagnosed with asthma by age 3 than children born to mothers who didn’t take prenatal antibiotics, a new study has ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Pediatric otolaryngologists and surgeons are concerned with parents getting the wrong message regarding the safety/desirability of letting babies and young children eat peanuts to prevent them from ... full story

Featured Videos

Mom Triumphs Over Tragedy, Helps Other Families

AP (Mar. 3, 2015) — After her son, Dax, died from a rare form of leukemia, Julie Locke decided to give back to the doctors at St. Jude Children&apos;s Research Hospital who tried to save his life. She raised $1.6M to help other patients and their families. (March 3)
Video provided by AP

Looted and Leaking, South Sudan's Oil Wells Pose Health Risk

AFP (Mar. 3, 2015) — Thick black puddles and a looted, leaking ruin are all that remain of the Thar Jath oil treatment facility, once a crucial part of South Sudan&apos;s mainstay industry. Duration: 01:13
Video provided by AFP

Woman Convicted of Poisoning Son

AP (Mar. 3, 2015) — A woman who blogged for years about her son&apos;s constant health woes was convicted Monday of poisoning him to death by force-feeding heavy concentrations of sodium through his stomach tube. (March 3)
Video provided by AP

Related Stories

Jan. 15, 2015 — Households affected by leprosy face being pushed further into poverty as a result of loss of earnings and treatment costs, according to the first ever study of the economic burden of a common ... full story

Aug. 19, 2014 — A variant of the century-old vaccine Bacille Calmette-Guerin is superior to BCG in protecting against tuberculosis in animal models, and also cross protects against leprosy, researchers report. ... full story

Feb. 20, 2014 — Research is finally unearthing some of the ancient mysteries behind leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, which has plagued humankind throughout history. The new research findings suggest that ... full story

June 13, 2013 — Scientists have reconstructed a dozen medieval and modern leprosy genomes -- suggesting a European origin for the North American leprosy strains found in armadillos and humans, and a common ancestor ... full story

Apr. 27, 2011 — Using advanced DNA analysis and extensive field work, an international research team has confirmed the link between leprosy infection in Americans and direct contact with armadillos. Clear evidence ... full story

ScienceDaily features breaking news and videos about the latest discoveries in health, technology, the environment, and more -- from major news services and leading universities, scientific journals, and research organizations.